Owing in part to the popularity of the so-called xe2x80x9cclubxe2x80x9d stores, there is perceived to be an increase in consumer demand for products packaged in larger unit volumes. The demand for larger units has resulted in a need for suitable packaging for such units. Among the problems with which the packaging engineer must deal in devising suitable containers, is the increased weight which such containers must be capable of holding.
Increases in unit volume impact not only the immediate container for the product, but also secondary and tertiary packaging. For instance, cartons in which the larger/heavier containers are shipped must also be suitable and may have to be adapted to the new containers.
It is increasingly desirable to display containers in the same cartons or cases in which they are shipped. Such display cartons may in certain cases permit the elimination of the extra step of removal of the container from the carton and stacking it on a shelf. Therefore, a need exists not only for cartons or cases suitable for shipping the larger unit containers, but for cartons which are suitable both for shipping and for display of such containers. Because of the special problems which heavier containers tend to present, display cartons which may have been appropriate for smaller unit volume containers, may not be durable enough, strong enough, or convenient enough for use in connection with the larger unit volume products.
The Procter and Gamble Company uses a display carton for its 96 Load Tide(copyright) detergent product. The display carton includes four triangular corner posts and front and rear display windows wherein a portion of carton has been bent over and adhered to itself. This bent over portion constitutes an obstacle when it is desired to remove the heavy 96 Load containers from the display carton.
Ellison et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,137 discloses a fiberboard container constructed from an outer blank of corrugated fiber board and a separate and distinct inner liner of corrugated fiberboard which is laminated interior thereof. A generally rectangular access door is located in one of the sidewall panels and is hinged to the remainder of the outer blank along an edge. An object of the Ellison et al. invention is said to be to provide a reinforced bulk container with an access door which does not substantially weaken the container. The cuts forming the access door in Ellison et al. are positioned at least two inches from the corners so as not to diminish the stacking strength. The width of access door 48 in FIGS. 3 and 4 of Ellison et al. may vary up to amount equal to the width of sidewall panel 32.
Vesborg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,504 is directed to a transport and display container.
Spamer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,002 is directed to a case for displaying articles in retail outlets, which is preferably formed of corrugated plastic or paperboard material.
DeMott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,360 is directed to a stackable container having a display opening. Locking slots and locking tabs are illustrated.
Edgerton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,299 is directed to a combined product shipping and display box.
Leftwich et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,872 is directed to shipping/display container which includes a tray portion having a bottom panel, two opposed end panels and two opposed side panels. A front side panel includes a line of weakness defining a severable portion in at least an intermediate portion downward to the lower-most edge of the front side panel. The severable portion includes a preformed aperture located adjacent to the lower-most edge of the front panel for initiating removal of the severable region. It is said that because the severable portion, at least in its center region, is preferably completely removed down to the bottom panel, products may be extracted from the resulting opening even though other containers or articles may be stacked both above and below the subject container limiting the ability to extract packages at an angle.
Carr ett al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,337 discloses a carton for a bag stack. The carton includes two u-shaped upper edges defining access windows. The front and back walls are provided with a hinged or removable panel below the access window to allow the sizes of the front and back windows to be increased.
The present invention is directed to a shipping and display case or carton which is suitable for shipping and displaying consumer and other goods which are packaged in high unit volume. In particular, the display case of the invention enjoys excellent compressive strength so that the cases may be stacked one upon the other notwithstanding the substantial weight of the high unit volume consumer products, e.g. 300 fluid oz. heavy duty liquid detergent containers. In addition, the display window of the present display case can be increased in size to facilitate removal of heavy packages of consumer goods. The display panel of the display case includes a bottom zone and lines of weakness on either side thereof. The bottom zone may be pulled downwardly to sever the lines of weakness and make it easier to slide the containers out of the display case. Moreover, the display panel also includes side zones which may be severed from the bottom closure of the display case and swung into positions in which they do not obstruct the egress of products from the display case.
In a preferred embodiment, the display carton comprises four panels, a front display panel, an opposed rear panel, and two opposed side panels between the front and rear panels. The bottom closure preferably comprises two major flaps and two minor flaps. The display case advantageously includes a liner having liner walls adjacent the panels of the display case. Preferably the liner includes at least two liner walls, more preferably at least three liner walls and most preferably includes three liner walls and two partial liner walls, the partial liner walls corresponding substantially in dimension to the side zones of the front display panel.
In accordance with another advantageous feature of the invention, one or more of the walls of the liner include extensions, such as tabs, which are received within one or more apertures, such as slots, in the bottom closure. These serve to help secure the liner in the display carton. In addition, it is preferred that the sections of fiberboard in which the extensions of the liners are formed also be used to from liners. Such xe2x80x9cnestingxe2x80x9d saves paperboard and helps decrease the cost of the liner. Where such nesting is used, the top of the liner will include a cutout corresponding roughly to the shape of the extension.